


Tell Me, You Love Me?

by Liza0111



Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime)
Genre: Fluff, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Canon, Post-Finale, Sureina
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-25
Updated: 2016-01-25
Packaged: 2018-05-16 04:18:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5813845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liza0111/pseuds/Liza0111
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It has been six years, and Inaho struggles to define his relationship with Slaine Troyard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tell Me, You Love Me?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KeiC](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeiC/gifts).



> This fic is written for Kei as a super super belated birthday fic!!! I was in finals hell back then so I promised to write her sureina fluff when I am on break....sorry this took so long! ;v; I hope you will like it! ILY KEI<3333

 

 

 

It only took a split second to happen. A jolt of sharp pain attacks his brain, distracting him from the task he is concentrating on, and the next thing he knows is that he is staring at his left hand covered in blood.

 

Leaving the knife on the side of the cutting board, he examines the wound absentmindedly. The pain from the cut is nearly unnoticeable compared to the throbbing pain coming from his brain.

 

 _Ah. He should get a bandage._ An infection would be the last thing he wants to deal with. He puts his hand under the cold running water to wash the blood away, covering his eyepatch with his other hand. He can still feel the pounding pressure at the sides of his head.

 

He won’t be able to make breakfast in this condition……Perhaps he should call sick to work……The painkillers are in the cabinet……

 

His vision in front of him suddenly blurs and he loses his balance, another wave of intense pain taking his strength away. He thought he would be heading straight for the wooden floor, but a pair of arms pull him back, and he is now leaning against someone who is slightly taller than him.

 

“Kaizuka, what is going on?” The voice belongs to the man whom he shares his house with right now.  Inaho closes his eye, waiting for the nausea to subside before he tries to support his weight. Although he can’t see his face right now, he can imagine what kind of expression the blond is wearing right now. “Sorry.” He murmurs.

 

“You are bleeding. It is a pretty deep cut.” Slaine holds up his hand to inspect the injury, his lips curving into a disapproving frown. “It’s the headache again isn’t it? You can’t go to work like this. I’ll take over the kitchen and make breakfast for us.”

 

“Slaine……you don’t know how to……cook.” Inaho mutters as Slaine helps him to the living room. The blond shoots him an irritated glance. “Are you trying to tell me you want to continue cooking with a bleeding hand and migraine? If that is what you wish to do, be my guest, Kaizuka.” Slaine isn’t particular gentle when he dropped Inaho on the couch, but the fact that he lands on top of a pile of soft, fluffy pillows proves that he does care for the brunet’s well-being.

 

The blond walks away and returns with the first aid kit within two minutes. “I can do it on my own……” Inaho begins to say, but Slaine simply sits down next to him and completely ignores his request. Inaho knows Slaine is rather experienced in regards to dealing with wounds, so he makes no objection. The blond silently opens the first aid kit, quickly applying some antibacterial ointment on the laceration on Inaho’s hand before covering it with a bandage.

 

A familiar bottle of medication is given to him along with a cup of warm water. “I am going to make breakfast.” Slaine stands up and repeats.

 

“Don’t burn the house down.” Inaho takes both the painkillers and the water from Slaine and offers his reminder helpfully. The blond groans as he makes his way back to the kitchen, mumbling something inaudible under his breath.

 

 

 

 

 

Inaho’s gaze falls on the plate of peanut butter and jelly sandwich handed to him, evidently unimpressed. “This is what you made?”

 

“Go ahead and make your own food if you don’t want it. I’ll eat it.” Slaine glares at him, noticeably offended by the lack of appreciation Inaho has for the breakfast he made.

 

“No, I am grateful. Thank you.” Inaho takes the plate before Slaine can turn away. “I was only perplexed, because I am aware you used the stove when you were in the kitchen, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich does not require a stove.” He takes a small bite and swallows carefully. Slaine put way too much jelly on the bread and the sweetness of the jelly is overwhelming his taste buds. Suddenly he is very thankful that he is able to maintain his default blank face in almost every situation, a truly useful skill to have.

 

Slaine’s face turns into a soft shade of pink. “I-I was experimenting with something else. It didn’t work out according to plan.” He averts his gaze, his intention of changing the topic easily observed. “Have you called your workplace?”

 

“I……haven’t. Maybe I will be able to still go, just let me rest for an hour and the medication will……” take care of it. Inaho doesn’t get the chance to finish before Slaine snaps at him.

 

“You are not going to work in that condition. Look, I know you deal with important stuff at work but you are putting your health at risk right now, Kaizuka. You are smarter than that.” Slaine’s ire is unforeseen yet easily discerned, but the rationale behind his outburst remains unclear. Inaho takes note of that.

 

He nods, complying silently. “I see your point, I will take today off then……”

 

Slaine’s shoulder visibly relaxes. “Good, you should rest up.” Slaine looks like there is more he wants to say to that, but at the end all he merely added hesitantly: “You are working a lot these days.”

 

“There is business for me to attend to.” Inaho replies casually. His statement not false by any means, but it do not make up the entirety of the truth.

 

“I’ll help you to your room.” Slaine extends his hand and Inaho accepts it. He is in no state to rely on himself at this very moment.

 

 

 

 

Slaine leaves with a quiet _“just call me if you need something_ ” before closing the door to Inaho’s room. The brunet buries his head into the pillow, curling up beneath the thick blanket. The medication is doing its job and he is feeling better compared an hour ago. He has dealt with this enough times to know what to do in this situation.

 

He is used to this.

 

It has been six years. Six years since Troyard’s imprisonment and the ceasefire between Earth and Vers.

 

The first four years, Inaho spent it on freeing Slaine from the prison. The process was tedious and his goal sounded nearly impossible, but he had worked hard to climb up the ranks in order to achieve what he wants.

 

“I have came for you, Slaine Troyard.” He said to him on the day he is released from prison, the same way he did when he tried to save him from self-destruction in space. He can’t help but to think that his mission that day was a failure. He was not able to save Slaine Troyard.

 

The reaction of the blond only consolidated his belief. Those turquoise eyes turned to him, vacant and deprived of emotions.

 

“This is meaningless.” He remarked, his voice cold as ice. “You should have let me die, Kaizuka, I don’t need your charity-”

 

“This time, it will be different.” Back then, he had said. It wasn’t just for Slaine to hear; he was also saying this to remind himself.

 

The custody of Slaine Troyard is handed over to him. Under Inaho’s supervision, the blond is granted some degree of freedom. The two years that followed is spent trying to help Slaine adjust to his new arrangements. At first, the former count tries to act apathetic to the changes around him, but gradually, he becomes more accustomed to this new life presented to him.

 

Inaho is content; at least from what he sees, Slaine’s conditions are far better than before. He devoted a major of his days into studying psychology in attempts to find out how he can help him recover. He knows Slaine is still plagued by his past, his crimes and his regrets. But the blond’s physical health is improving. He is no longer trapped inside a cell where he can’t even see the sky. He is eating healthily and even started exercising recently. There is a long way to go, but Inaho is determined to not his effort go into waste.

 

However, in regards to the relationship between them, it is more difficult to define. Whether Slaine has stopped hating him or not, this is a question he does not have the answer to. Slaine has the right to loathe him, for Inaho is the very person who took victory from his hands. If he had died in Russia that day, Slaine’s life might be very different now.

 

For the last two years, Inaho has been purposefully keeping his distance by immersing himself in work, even on the weekends. If Slaine does hate him, this is the least he can do for him.

 

Spotting the tiny flakes of white outside, Inaho scoots closer to the window with the blankets still wrapped around him. Burgundy eye fixated on the snow accumulated on the ground, he presses his palm against the surface of the glass. He can even feel the icy air against his cheeks. The coldness seems to spread to his body and he shivers, but he doesn’t move away.

 

He doesn’t know how to explain the connection he has with Slaine, but one thing he is sure of is that they have reached their limitation.

 

He sighs, pulling his hand away, the numbness from the cold lingering on his fingertips.

 

There is nowhere for them to go, even if there is one day Slaine no longer bear any hatred for him. The feelings that he has been keeping a secret, they are more like a curse than a blessing. There will never be a day when these emotions will be given the chance to grow.

 

Outside his room, he can hear the soft noises coming from the television. He is tired, not only from the headache but also from stress at work, but he never had the habit of taking naps. Deciding against the idea of lying in bed with nothing to do, he quietly gets off of his bed and walks towards the living room.

 

 

 

 

“Is the volume too loud?” Slaine raises an eyebrow when he sees Inaho, his hand already reaching for the remote.

 

The brunet shakes his head, “I am not used to taking naps.” He chooses to take a seat a little farther from Slaine. The blond takes a quick glance at him, his attention soon returning to the television.

 

“You should go see a doctor for your headaches. “

 

“I suppose.” Inaho closes his eye, wishing his mind can stop constantly analyzing Slaine’s every action and word. _Does his presence make him uncomfortable? Is it better if he leaves? Does Slaine actually care or is he just trying to be polite?_  Every bit of detail holds so much weight to him. At the end, he still can’t come up with a definite response.

 

Heavy silence settles between them. Inaho realizes that him sitting here is actually a rare occasion. He is hardly ever home and the majority of his time at home is spent inside his study. He doesn’t even know how Slaine spends his time throughout the day.

 

He has been avoiding having these kinds of interactions with Slaine, dreading one day he will hear the truth from him. _“I have always hated you and I will continue to hate you, Kaizuka, for the rest of my life-”_

 

…….Nothing. Not a word from Slaine is heard. Even the sounds from the television are gone. Inaho opens his eye, confused. “You don’t have to turn it off.”

 

“Just sleep. You are tired, right? And the medication is supposed to help you sleep.” Slaine waves his hand impatiently, “There was nothing interesting to watch anyway……” He picks up a book, conveniently placed on the couch between him and Inaho.

 

There is no reason to argue with Slaine over this; indeed, he should let himself rest for a bit. “Wake me up if I sleep for too long……” He mumbles, closing his eye once again.

 

He isn’t sure if he heard it or his mind imagined it, but he is almost certain he hears Slaine’s voice before he drifts to sleep.

 

 

“Rest well, Inaho.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When he opens his eye again, there is hardly any light left in the room at all. He wonders if it stopped snowing. Sluggishly, he raises his arm to rub his eye, when he discovers the blanket over his shoulder. Instinctively, he glances to the right, where he finds the blond still sitting there.

 

Slaine Troyard’s gaze falls on him, he has the same composed expression on his face, as though he is expecting Inaho to repeat some kind of recycled lines to him again. The normalcy. The routine.  

 

 

_“——Why did you choose to stay?”_

 

 

 

Instead, Inaho hears himself ask. His voice hoarse, distant in the air. His maroon eye locked on his, trying to find the answer he has been searching all along. 

 

“Slaine, a year ago, I gave you the option of leaving……for good. You can go anywhere you choose. You would be free. Why did you stay here?”

 

That was the final step of his plan, to give Slaine the freedom he deserves. It was what he worked for and his last departing gift to the boy he captured, to return what he deserves to have in the very first place. He had finally gotten the chance to make it a reality after years of effort, only for it to be rejected by the blond.

 

He doesn’t understand. He doesn’t have a clue. He thought this is what Slaine would want, to be away from him and start a new life.

 

“The option is still open for you. You can leave at any given time. I will have everything prepared for you.”

 

Slaine doesn’t reply; he hardly gives any reaction to Inaho’s inquiry. The only change in his expression is his knitted brows, his gaze shifting to the eyepatch covering where his left eye used to belong.

 

Inaho covers his eyepatch with his hand.

 

“There is no need to concern yourself with my health, I can assure you.”

 

“My responsibility.” Slaine replies softly, light as a feather.

 

“Not your fault.” His voice is stern.

 

“My commitment.” Slaine says, and Inaho’s thinking comes to a pause. Commitment? What can Slaine possibly be referring to……

 

“How long has it been? Kaizuka.” The blond is being awfully vague today, and Inaho doesn’t quite appreciate it.

 

“What are you referring to?”

 

“Since you began having feelings for me.” He puts it bluntly, and Inaho can feel his hands turning cold.

 

“A long time ago.” He almost lost track of the passing of time. “Before Seylum asked me to save you.”

 

“I knew it.” The blond heaves a small sigh. “You liked me all along, but you never thought you have a chance, because you are sure I hate you……right?”

 

Taking Inaho’s silence as a yes, Slaine continues, “You bury yourself in work, so I can be away from you. You were worried that I hate you so much I can’t even stand living in the same house with you. You never say anything in front of me and keep your distance from me, because you don’t want me to feel responsible for your emotions. Then you offered to let me go, because you are sure that this is what I wanted.”

 

Inaho never expects himself to be this inadequate in hiding his feelings. He is often told he doesn’t have any to begin with. “……Your assumptions are correct.”

 

“I hated you……But it was in the past. I no longer do.” Slaine smiles, his expression a mix of resignation and acceptance. “I tried to hate you, because for me at that time, it might have been easier to just be angry at you for what happened. But I can’t. I was an enemy to you, and you an enemy to me. I am responsible for my fate.” He reaches out for Inaho’s hand over his eye, and holds it. “I stayed here because I wanted to.”

 

“Are you saying……” None of this is part of his predictions. Never imagined such a scenario. Everything is exceeding his expectations. He is having difficulty putting his thoughts into coherent phrases and he feels like his headache may be returning. “That you don’t mind staying with me?”

 

None of this is logical. He wants to dry Slaine’s wings so he can fly again. He doesn’t want to repeat what Asseylum did to Slaine, making decisions for him……He doesn’t want to chain him down again.

 

“Yes. This is exactly what I am saying.” Slaine sighs again. “I am aware of what you are thinking……and Kaizuka, you are not forcing anything on me. This is my own will. Your feelings aren’t unrequited.”

 

In Inaho’s utter disbelief, Slaine wraps his arms around him, pulling him closer into a hug.

 

“I am sorry I couldn’t tell you earlier, because you keep on running away from me, and I didn’t know how to express it.”

 

“This is the future I chose for myself. You done a lot for me, and I know it. So let me do something for you this time, okay?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You need to see a doctor tomorrow if you are still not feeling well.” Pushing the fringe away from Inaho’s face, Slaine sits next to his bed, reminding him for the tenth time of tonight.

 

“I am feeling a lot better.” Inaho peeks at him from underneath the blankets. “This is the first time I’ve had sandwiches for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

 

Slaine’s face turns entirely red again, “Fine! You can take the kitchen back tomorrow if you don’t like them.”

 

“I liked them, a lot.” A faint smile reaches his lips. All three sandwiches he has eaten today had too much jelly in it. Perhaps this will end up as Slaine’s signature dish. “Thank you.”

 

He made a small discovery when he was getting a glass of water from the kitchen for his medication. In the trashcan is remnants of Slaine’s first attempt of making him breakfast this morning: rolled omelette, his favorite egg dish.

 

“Slaine, do you really not have any regrets? “ Even after hours, he still has can’t bring himself to believe in what happened, that Slaine had made the decision of choosing him a long time ago without him realizing it.

 

“I have no regrets.” A warm hand is placed on his cheek, caressing it gently. “This is where you are, so I will stay.”

 

A dream he once deemed unattainable, now granted to him. Inaho holds Slaine’s hand tightly. He still doesn’t know how to put it into words, but he is sure, the feeling warming his heart right now must be love.

 

 

“Good night, Slaine. See you tomorrow.”

 

“Good night, Inaho.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

_To tomorrow, and many more days together in the future._

 

 

  


End file.
